Champaign police investigating multiple reports of aggravated battery

CHAMPAIGN - The Champaign Police Department is investigating a series of aggravated batteries that occurred in the Campus area during the early morning hours of October 11.

Authorities say Champaign police officers responded to five separate reports of aggravated battery between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. Saturday morning. The locations of the incidents have been listed below:

- Second and Chalmers around 3:00 a.m.- 200 block of E. Chalmers around 3:30 a.m.- Sixth and Green, occurred around 3:30 a.m.- South First and Chalmers at around 4:00 a.m. - Locust and Chalmers around 4:00 a.m.

Champaign police say the victims in the first three incidents reported being attacked by a group of male suspects while they were walking in the area. The victims were punched in the head, then kicked in the head and body while they were on the ground. Four individuals were injured during these three incidents, with all receiving visible facial injuries. Three of the four victims were taken to local medical facilities for treatment.

In the other two incidents, one victim was hit in the head but ran from the suspects, while another victim ran from the suspects as they yelled at him from a blue-colored passenger vehicle.

The victims described the suspects as a group of six or seven black males, approximately 25 years of age, and wearing dark clothing. The suspects were also reported to be driving in a blue-colored sedan or SUV.

Anyone with information on these crimes are urged to contact the Champaign Police Department at (217) 351-4545 or Crime Stoppers at (217) 373-8477.